Gameplay Rules

Like the comics, this game is about action, so this section looks at the flow of the game and how heroes accomplish their amazing feats, ranging from last-minute rescues and brilliant investigations to thrilling battles against the forces of evil.

The section starts out with a look at action rounds, used to measure time when seconds count, then moves on to the different challenges heroes face, followed by handling conflicts like super-powered battles. The section concludes with information on the potential consequences, including various conditions imposed on heroes and the hazards of the environment around them. This is followed by handling conflicts like super-powered battles, including special actions, consequences of damage, and recovery from it.

Action Rounds

The action round (or simply round) is how this game breaks down time when things like who goes first and how much each character can accomplish are important. A round represents about six seconds of time in the game world.

During a round, each character involved takes a turn, which is that character's opportunity to do something. A character has an allotment of actions, used during that character's turn. Players decide what their characters do on their turns, while the GM handles everyone else's turn.

Initiative

When things start happening quickly, characters roll initiative to determine what order they act in. The character with the highest initiative check result goes first followed by everyone else in descending order. Initiative is rolled only once at the start of a conflict or another kind situation where turn order or number of rounds matters. The GM may roll just once for an entire group of minions, giving them all the same initiative. To roll initiative a character (or minion group) rolls:

The only other modifiers to initiative are using Seize Initiative and being Surprised (see below). If two characters have the same initiative result, they act in order of highest Dodge bonus first, then highest Agility, then highest Awareness. If there is still a tie, each tied player should roll dice, with the highest roll going first.

Usually, the GM writes the names of the characters down in initiative order to move quickly from one character to the next each round. You can also have all of the characters' names listed on index cards so you can reshuffle to fit the initiative order. After the first turn has started the initiative numbers still exist but only matter if someone joins the conflict afterward. If characters enter a conflict after it's begun, they roll initiative when they join-in and act when their turn comes up in the existing order.

Note that a round is defined as the time it takes to get back to that same character's next turn, it is not defined as going from the lowest initiative number back to the highest.

Surprise

Some conflicts begin with one or more characters caught unaware or surprised. This is typically because the character did not succeed on a Perception or other check and was therefore caught off-guard. Some characters on a side can be surprised while others are not.

Any characters that are surprised get a -10 penalty to initiative checks and are vulnerable until their turn (see Conditions).

Action Types

The seven types of actions that effects require from slowest to fastest are slow, full, standard, move, free, and reaction. Normally during your turn you can perform a standard action and a move action, or one full turn action. A standard action can be traded for a move action instead. You can also perform as many free and actions as your GM allows, likewise reactions may be triggered as many times as applicable. But slow actions are not possible to use in combat (it would take too many turns).

Some situations and conditions (like being dazed) limit the actions you can take during your turn.

Slow Action

This can't effectively be done in combat because it would take more than 10 rounds (1 minute) to perform. These effects take various amounts of long time so that it can't be done during combat always taking at least a minute but it could be an hour or more. The GM sets the specific time in cases where it matters, but it should be short enough that you can do it between scenes in a game, but long enough that you effectively cannot do it during action time. Although the GM may allow you to spend a victory point to quickly use the effect during action time as a power stunt (changing the modifiers), if circumstances warrant it.

Examples of such slow tasks are disassembling an entire car, reading a 400 page book, and performing a play on stage (see Quickness in order to speed up such tasks). You might need access to a lab, arsenal, spell-book, or other special equipment, or need to perform certain procedures or rituals. If the effect has concentration duration then you might need to continue using any needed supplies each round it is maintained. There are no powers that are slow by default and thus this would be a result of the flaw Slower Action. Some effects, like Affliction, tend to be worthless when slow.

Full Turn Action

A full turn action (normally) requires your entire turn. It requires both a standard action and a move action to do. If you can't spend both a standard and move action for any reason (such as being Dazed) then you can't perform a full turn action (because you are unable to utilize your full turn). Variable is the only effect that takes a full turn action by default but other effects may be slowed down to this action with the flaw Slower Action.

Full turn actions only require a standard and move action therefore if Extra Effort is used to obtain another action then a full turn action won't actually take up your full turn.

Standard Action

A standard action allows you to do something. You can make an attack, use a skill, advantage, or power, or perform other similar actions. A standard action represents 3/5ths of your turn therefore you can only use 1 standard action during your turn. Normally during your turn, you can take a standard action and a move action.

Move Action

A move action allows you to move your speed or perform an action taking a similar amount of time, such as draw or stow a weapon or other object, stand up, pick up an object, or perform some equivalent action (see the Actions in Combat Table).

A move action represents 2/5ths of your turn therefore a standard can be traded down for a move action in order to take 2 move actions. For example, rather than moving your speed and attacking you can stand up and move your speed (two move actions), draw a weapon and climb (two move actions), or pick up an object and stow it (two move actions). You can also make a DC 5 Athletics check as a free action to run faster: one or more degree of success increases your ground speed rank by +1 for one round.

Free Action

Free actions consume very little time and, over the span of the turn, their impact is so small they are considered to take no real time at all. You can perform one or more free actions while taking another action. For instance, dropping an object, dropping to a prone position, speaking a sentence or two, and ceasing to concentrate on maintaining a power are all free actions.

Reaction

A reaction is something that happens in response to something else, like a reflex. Like free actions, reactions take so little time they're considered free. The difference between the two is a free action can only be done on the character's turn but reactions happen on anyone's turn. Luck Control is the only power with a default action of reaction (see the Aura extra for others).

Reaction effects are considered faster than free effects (since it can occur on any turn). Reaction effects can't be manually activated although this isn't always a downside depending on what conditions trigger the reaction. Reaction effects always have a condition on which they will activate automatically, even if you are stunned or incapacitated. Selective must be applied in order to choose to not activate it. Defense checks act as reaction effects (in response to the attack) although active defenses are lost when unconscious.

No Action

Finally, some things players are called upon to do are not considered actions at all, as they involve no action on the part of the characters. Toughness for example will occur even for inanimate objects or dead characters. Thinking takes No Action if the character is able to do so (must be conscious).

Action Limitations

There are certain limitations for balance reasons on what actions are allowed. They are as follows:

• An attack power can't have an action of move or free (reaction is sometimes allowed). This includes any effect with the Attack modifier but Affects Others and Enhanced Trait (the ones that aren't Attacks) have no limitation.

• Movement can't have an action of free (or reaction). This includes movement type effects and the natural ability to walk etc.

• Healing can't have an action of free (or reaction). Regeneration, natural healing, and other forms of healing are not limited.

• After a character is revived (from Immortality or Healing) they can't be revived again until 13 minutes have passed (time rank 7). This would be 130 rounds so that it can't be done in combat.

Taking Your Turn

When it is your turn in the initiative order, you declare what actions your character will perform, and they are resolved in order.

Note that even if you are incapacitated or dead you still get a turn in order to keep track of any ongoing effects that still apply. For example if you are killed while using Sustained Flight then you will stay in the air until your turn at which point you will fall (this happens right away if it is currently your turn).

Starting Your Turn

The Gamemaster informs you when it is your turn. When you start your turn, you should:

End effects that last "until the start of your next turn".

Gain ongoing beneficial effects such as gaining HP from Regeneration.

If you are dying, have diehard, and stabilization is possible. Then you become stable.

If you are dying make a Fortitude check (DC 5). The HP is lost now if applicable. See conditions for more info.

Number Of Actions

You get a standard and a move action each turn. You can exchange your standard action for an additional move action, allowing you to perform two move actions. You can also perform as many free actions on your turn as you wish.

You can use extra effort in order to take an additional standard or move action on your turn (see Extra Effort).

Order Of Actions

You perform your actions in any order that you wish, but you cannot normally "split" your actions. So, for example, although you can move (move action) and then attack (standard action) or attack and then move, you cannot move half your distance, attack, and then move the other half unless you have some special trait that allows you to do so. Likewise full turn actions, standard actions, and move actions can't be done at the same time such as attacking while moving. Anything smaller (such as a free action) can be done at the same time.

Maintaining Effects

You may take the action required to maintain an effect as normal or you can choose to end the effect. Choosing to end an effect you are maintaining is a free action (for any power duration). Likewise deactivating a power that has the Activation flaw is a free action.

Ending Your Turn

At the end of your turn, you should:

End any effects that last "until the end of your turn".

End any Concentration or Sustained duration effects that you have not maintained (if they haven't already been ended).

Make any necessary defense checks to recover from a condition (except dying which is at the start of the turn).

Suffer from any harmful ongoing effects such as from a condition (except dying and the ones you recovered from) or from circumstances like taking damage each turn that you are standing in a fire.

Inform the Gamemaster and other players that your turn is finished, allowing the next character in the initiative order to go.

Challenges

In game terms, a challenge is an action or series of actions where players are called upon to make checks of their characters' traits, but which do not involve direct conflict, such as fighting. Some challenges are quick and involve only a single character, such as a hero making a daring leap or acrobatic maneuver, while others are more involved and require the efforts of a whole team, such as clearing all of the people out of a burning building or searching the entire city (or world!) for an escaped criminal.

The challenges given in this section are by no means the only possible ones. They simply cover the major "building blocks" Gamemasters can use to create challenges in their own games and offer examples. Feel free to come up with your own challenges to test the heroes' abilities and give the players an opportunity to come up with clever plans of their own.

Challenges And Initiative

Challenges may or may not involve initiative checks, depending on the nature of the challenge.

If all of the characters get a turn and it does not particularly matter who goes first, then the Gamemaster can dispense with initiative for the challenge. For example, if the heroes all have to leap across a chasm, then it is a challenge they must all complete, and it does not particularly matter which of them goes first or last in doing so (since their actions are all virtually simultaneous).

With other challenges, it does matter who goes first, particular when the challenge is timed in some fashion. So, for example, if the GM determines that part of a burning building will collapse after the second turn, initiative may be checked to see which heroes go before the collapse and who does not quite act fast enough. The same may be true of other traps or hazards, which can have initiative ranks of their own.

Challenge Sequences

A challenge sequence is made up of a series of checks rather than a simple set of one or two. It represents a more involved or detailed challenge for the heroes. So, whereas a simple challenge might involve breaking down a door or figuring out a lock, a challenge sequence could be a lengthy investigation, searching for someone who has gone missing, or convincing a non-player character of the heroes' good intentions. It can involve several checks of the same trait, or multiple traits, such as a Persuasion check to get the heroes on good terms with the King of Atlantis, an Expertise check to explain the particular danger the kingdom faces, and an Insight check to realize the king's advisor has something other than the best interests of the kingdom and royal family at heart. Similarly, heroes might make Perception checks to pick up on particular clues, Investigate checks to gather and analyze them, and Expertise checks to figure out the villain's riddle behind them before it is too late.

Challenges And Consequences

Challenges typically have some reward for success (usually moving on to the next part of the adventure) and some consequence for failure. The latter might be missing a vital clue or otherwise being unable to stop a villain's scheme. This may make later parts of the adventure more difficult for your heroes. Other consequences might include particular conditions (see Conditions in The Basics); for example, failing a wilderness survival challenge may result in the heroes suffering from fatigue or exhaustion. Failing a challenge to cross a chasm could mean the hero falls and suffers damage. Failing a challenge to overcome a trap could mean the heroes are even incapacitated, falling into the villain's clutches! The GM decides the consequences of failing a particular challenge based on the challenge and the needs of the story.

Environmental Hazards

Not all of the hazards heroes face come from supervillains. Sometimes the environment itself can be a danger, particularly when villains try to use it to their advantage. Heroes end up in a lot of dangerous places and deal with less than ideal conditions. This section details some of the hazards heroes may face.

If there are multiple reasons to need to make a Fortitude defense check (or any defense check) then perform them in order from highest DC to lowest. Such as suffering from both starvation and heat. The exception is forced labor which makes the others more difficult rather than being an additional check.

Light And Darkness

Criminals often lurk in the darkness, and many crimes take place at night. Most cities are lit well enough, but sometimes heroes run into areas where it's difficult to see. Poorly lit areas provide concealment. Characters with Counters Concealment (Darkness) Senses or other appropriate Senses effects can ignore concealment penalties for poor lighting.

Heat And Cold

Intense heat and cold wear down characters, while prolonged exposure to the elements can be extremely dangerous.

Characters in hot or cold conditions must make Fortitude checks (DC 0, +1 per previous check) to avoid becoming fatigued. Fatigued characters who fail a check become exhausted, incapacitated (rather than asleep), then dying. When a character becomes dying in this way his HP becomes -1 (if not already negative) and can't stabilize (even with Diehard) until returned to a comfortable temperature.

How often characters have to make Fortitude checks depends on the conditions. Once an hour for uncomfortable heat or cold (a hot summer day or cold winter day), once per 10 minutes for intense heat or cold (a blazing desert or Arctic conditions), once a minute for extreme heat or cold like the edge of a volcano or an arctic winter storm. Checks are made at the end of each period of exposure. Anything beyond extreme heat or cold--such as a blast furnace or touching liquid nitrogen--inflicts direct damage and is an attack.

Characters with the appropriate Immunity do not need to make Fortitude checks for natural temperatures (up to intense temperatures). Additionally there are other things that factor into the temperature exposure checks such as: heavy or light clothing, drinking plenty of water, physical activity, direct sunlight, etc. The GM will determine the DCs and how frequently the checks occur based on these kinds of things. The Gamemaster may also assign conditions such as sunburn and frostbite as appropriate.

Starvation And Thirst

Heroes can go without water for a day. After this, they need to make a Fortitude check (DC 0, +1 per previous check) each hour to avoid a level of fatigue. Heroes can go without food for three days. After this, they must make a Fortitude check (DC 0, +1 per previous check) every 4 hours to avoid fatigue. The character cannot recover until he gets water or food. Heroes with Immunity to Starvation can go an unlimited time without food or water. In all other cases a character will die after either 3 days without water or 7 days without food (do not roll a Fortitude check since it is impossible to pass). This makes the maximum DCs that can be survived DC 48 without water and DC 24 without food.

Factors such as heat and physical activity may affect these sustenance checks as determined by the GM. A character fat enough might make it 8 days without food but no more since fat can't store everything a body needs (fat doesn't affect dehydration time at all). Failing one check (starvation or thirst) will affect the other since it will make you fatigued. Some food can substitute for water (specifically watermelon) and some drinks can count as both if they have enough nutrients.

Suffocation

Characters can hold their breath for ten rounds (one minute) plus a number of rounds equal to twice their Stamina. After that time they must make a Fortitude check (DC 0) each round to continue holding their breath. The DC increases by +1 for each previous success. Failure on the Fortitude check means the character is forced to breath and if he is unable then he becomes incapacitated and on the following round he is dying and his HP becomes -1 (if not already negative). A dying character can't stabilize (even with Diehard) until able to breathe again. Heroes with Immunity to Suffocation can go an unlimited time without air.

Sleep Deprivation

Characters can go without sleep for 1 day without side effect. After missing sleep another time he becomes fatigued. After 5 days without sleep he becomes exhausted. After 10 days he becomes incapacitated and can't be woken up for 8 hours (unlike being asleep you are totally unaware to everything).

If a lack of sleep overlaps with forced labor then use forced labor rules with increased difficulty rather than sleep deprivation rules (a noteworthy difference is that forced labor can kill).

Characters with Immunity to sleep do not suffer these effects and can go an unlimited time without sleep.

Forced Labor

Characters may be forced to perform manual labor (including if the character is forcing himself). This labor may either be difficult or something that is forced to continue for too long. Examples of forced labor include a forced march, boat rowing (either fast paced or over a long time), pushing mine carts, turning a mill, pushing a plow, outrunning a stampede, swimming to shore, and giving birth.

First make a skill check (generally Athletics) using Stamina as the ability or make a raw Stamina check if no skill applies. This check determines how long you can go before starting to suffer from the forced labor and is dependent on the difficultly of the labor being done. After that you must make a Fortitude check every so often (from round to hour depending on difficulty) starting at DC 1 and increasing by 1 each check to avoid becoming fatigued. Fatigued characters who fail a check become exhausted, then asleep. If forced awake (including forcing yourself) then you are dazed (in addition to exhausted). The next failed Fortitude check after that you become dying and your HP becomes -1 (it can't have already been negative). Since dying causes you to become incapacitated your labor will stop and thus you can attempt to stabilize the following round (see conditions).

Forced labor sometimes overlaps with hot and cold environments. In such cases use the rules for heat and cold with the labor causing the frequency of Fortitude checks to increase. Do not use the forced labor rules with increased frequency because characters should become incapacitated rather than asleep. This is also true for other environmental hazards such as starvation and suffocation.

Characters with Immunity to fatigue do not suffer from forced labor due to time but still suffer due to extreme physical difficulty.

Falling

A fall inflicts damage rank equal to (fallen distance - your size)*2 with a maximum of 18. A fall with a damage rank of 0 or less, such as a fall of 6 feet or less, inflicts no damage. You are prone at the end of a fall if you fell accidentally or if you failed the Toughness check (ie took any damage). The GM may increase the maximum fall damage based on air pressure, your weight, and your aerodynamic properties. For reference an average human falling from an airplane reaches a maximum speed of speed rank 6 (195 km/h or 122 MPH). Falling into or onto a dangerous surface may cause additional damage, at the GM's discretion.

Fire

Table: Sample Fire Ranks

These numbers represent the amount of Damage the fire would do to a character.

Poison

A deadly toxin introduced through a scratch, or even in the air, may be able to fell the strongest hero. Poisons generally have one of several effects particularly Affliction, Damage, or Weaken. Some poisons may even have multiple Linked effects. Heroes generally resist poisons with Fortitude. A Treatment skill check can provide a bonus on defense checks against poison.

Table: Sample Poison Ranks

Disease

When heroes come into contact with a disease they must make a Fortitude check (DC of the disease's rank) to avoid becoming infected. The method of infection depends on the disease: some are airborne while others require physical contact. Diseases are generally Affliction or Weaken effects. Some diseases may have multiple linked effects. Potentially fatal diseases usually Weaken Stamina, in addition to their other effects. If the disease goes untreated for long enough, the subject's Stamina may drop below -5, in which case death occurs.

A Treatment skill check can provide a bonus on defense checks against disease.

Table: Sample Disease Ranks

Radiation

Radiation in the comic books often causes mutations or triggers latent powers in those exposed to it rather than simply causing radiation sickness. Exposure to radiation (especially exotic or alien radiation) may be an excellent opportunity for a complication.

Otherwise the Gamemaster can treat radiation exposure like a disease: The victim makes an initial Fortitude check against (DC of the radiation's rank) and an additional check each day. Radiation sickness is typically a Weaken Stamina effect, but may include other effects, including Damage resisted by Fortitude. At the GM's discretion, radiation exposure can lead to other effects, such as damage to a hero's power ranks (causing a temporary decrease in powers).

Table: Sample Radiation Ranks

Rapid Decompression

Going from high pressure to low pressure quickly may cause a character to experience aeroembolism (decompression sickness or "the bends"). This can be caused by a diver deep underwater returning to the surface too quickly or from a space suit rupture. If a character changes pressure slowly the body will have time to adjust additionally decompression sickness is a delayed effect such that a character has 2 rounds to return to the higher pressure that he is adjusted to before needing to make a Fortitude check. This means that if a character in space quickly returns to pressurized air there will be no side affects.

On the third round exposed to low pressure, a character must succeed on a Fortitude check (DC 10) each round or suffer from decompression sickness. A failed check means excruciating pain as small air bubbles form in the creature's bloodstream; the creature is stunned until recovered. Two or more degrees of failure impose the incapacitated condition until recovered.

Not all pressures can be adjusted to. There is a maximum high pressure and minimum low pressure that can be adjusted to. A vacuum (no pressure at all) can't be adjusted to. After a character is under an acceptable pressure for 1 minute decompression sickness (stunned or incapacitated) is removed and the character becomes adjusted to that pressure.

Characters with Immunity to natural pressure can tolerate any pressure without decompression sickness.

Vacuum

The primary hazards of the vacuum of space are lack of air and exposure to unfiltered ionizing radiation. Additionally the lack of pressure can cause decompression sickness (see Rapid Decompression).

The real danger of vacuum comes from suffocation, though holding one's breath in vacuum damages the lungs. A character who attempts to hold his breath must make a Fortitude check (DC 5) every round; the DC increases by 1 each round, and on a successful check the character loses a rank of Stamina (from the pressure on the linings of his lungs). If the check fails, or when the character simply stops holding his breath, he begins to suffocate: the next round, he becomes incapacitated. The following round, he's dying and his HP becomes -1 (if not already negative). A dying character can't stabilize (even with Diehard) until until returned to a normal atmosphere.

Unfiltered radiation bombards any character trapped in the vacuum of space without protective gear, see Radiation, previously (damage 6).

Heroes able to ignore the effects of deep space must have Immunity to suffocation, Immunity to natural pressure, and Resistance to radiation.

Relative Size Rules

There are many impacts of being a different size in addition to the ability changes mentioned in Growth and Shrinking. These impacts are listed here.

All distances (of all effects), such as speed and range (include close range distance aka reach), are determined by size but are absolute instead of relative. For clarification: absolute size bonuses and penalties are those with independent quantities such as Strength and relative size bonuses and penalties are those that can only be determined when compared to another size such as Intimidation and Stealth. Relative size bonuses apply to: Dodge, Senses, Intimidation, Stealth, Search and some other skills.

Dodge: Instead of a smaller target gaining Dodge the attacker loses attack, in this way something small is harder to hit even when defenseless including inanimate objects. When determining power level calculate Dodge as though the attack penalty was instead a Dodge bonus. This bonus or penalty is equal to (target's size - your size) that is to say when attacking a smaller object you get a penalty and when attacking a larger object you get a bonus. Parry, on the other hand, does not change anything: no defense or attack bonus or penalty.

Attack Area: If the difference in size is significant then the small character must Dodge as though the attack was an area, for example: a fly swatter has a 6 inch diameter making it Distance rank -5 but a fly is size rank -10 (0.35 inches) despite being close combat the fly can't parry this attack and must dodge. Anything long range is still Dodged as normal and generally anything with an attack radius equal to the size of the character must be dodged. The GM has the final say in deciding if an attack can be Parried, otherwise it must be dodged as an area attack.

Sense: Some targets may be too small to sense except by microscopic senses. The GM will determine the DC required to be able to sense it if possible.

Skill: Some skills like Intimidation, Stealth, and Search will get a bonus or penalty based on size. Such as +1 Intimidation per size greater than target and +1 Stealth per size smaller than observer. Larger characters may be able to search an area faster but may get a penalty if the desired object is too small for them to find. Climbing is based on base movement speed (which larger characters have more of). There may be other skills that depend on size as determined by the GM case by case. Here are two absolute skill bonuses: -1 Climbing penalty per weight (but not size) decreased and +1 to resist Trip attempts per mass increase.

Grab: The grab bonus or penalty is equal to your size minus their size (maximum limited by PL). If you are much larger than the defender so that your hand is as big as they are then you can grab and hold them with only one hand (same as Improved Grab). You are not hindered or vulnerable due to grabbing a character that fits in one hand. If the held character isn't touching the ground (and can't fly etc) then they do not get a defense check when you drag them.

Conflicts

A conflict is when two or more characters go up against each other, typically in a fight of some sort. Conflict between heroes and villains is a prime part of the game and a big element of the fun, just like the colorful and spectacular fights in the superhero comic books.

Attack Check

You may perform an attack check with any attack type power such as Damage against any opponent within the attack's range. Attacks are generally a standard action (see action limitations).

An attack check is an opposed check of a skill check against an active defense check. Unlike a normal skill check a critical success behaves differently (critical failure is the same). If your skill check has all 3 Fudge dice come up as +1 (see Critical hits below) or if the sum is equal to or higher than the active defense check then your power activates on your target; read the description of your power to see what happens but it must always include a passive defense check.

If the attack is an area effect or perception range (including a weapon) it does not have an attack check: it automatically hits the area or target (critical hits are impossible) without rolling an active defense check.

An unarmed attack is close range and uses strength. An unarmed attack is always close range even if you have reach (caused by Growth including Elongation) therefore the skill check is always Close Combat: Unarmed opposed by a parry defense check. The power used is a rank 0 Strength-Based Damage (powers can't normally be rank 0) opposed by a toughness defense check (as normal for Damage).

A close range power (including a melee weapon) uses whichever type of Close Combat is appropriate and is opposed by a parry defense check. Note that reach (caused by the taking the extra or by Growth including Elongation) doesn't change the power's range.

A ranged power (including a ranged weapon) uses whichever type of Ranged Combat is appropriate and is opposed by a dodge defense check.

Critical Hits

When you make an attack check and all 3 Fudge dice come up as +1 (for a total of +3 before attack bonuses), you automatically hit, regardless of your target's defense, and you score a critical threat. The hit might also be a critical hit. To find out if it's a critical hit, determine if the attack check total is equal to or greater than the target's defense check. If so, it is a critical hit. If not, the attack still hits, but as a normal attack, not a critical hit.

Conversely, if all 3 Fudge dice come up as -1 (for a total of -3 before attack bonuses) this causes the attack to always miss, regardless of your total result.

Effects Of A Critical Hit

A critical hit can have one of the following three effects, chosen by the player when the critical hit is determined:

Increased Effect: The critical hit increases the difficulty to resist the attack's effect by +1. Against a minion, this bypasses the defense check entirely; the minion automatically receives the highest degree of the attack's effect.

Added Effect: The critical hit adds another effect onto the attack, but its effective rank is 0, so the defense DC is 3dF+0. The added effect can be anything the player can reasonably describe and justify as adjunct to the original effect: an Affliction (useful for all sorts of "gut checks," blows to the head or vitals, etc.), Dazzle (blood in the eyes, boxing the ears, etc.), or Weaken, to name a few. The GM decides if the effect suits the circumstances of the attack. The target makes defense checks against the attack's initial and added effects separately.

Health Points

When damaged after Toughness is rolled (see Damage effect) if you succeeded no damage is taken otherwise you lose HP (Health Points) equal to the difference. Maximum HP for characters (including constructs) is always equal to 6 and can't be increased, decreased, or weakened. There is an exception for Minions who always have a maximum HP of 1. Battlesuits while in use act as armor in that the person inside will lose HP with damage even though the defense check is based on the battlesuit's toughness. This is done so that characters who put every point into a battlesuit will have no HP advantage or disadvantage during combat.

Constructs have HP because they are characters but Inanimate objects do not have HP. Damaging objects (anything without HP) is explained in Damage: Damaging Objects.

There are certain conditions imposed by HP that are gained when entering the HP range and removed when leaving. The conditions can't be removed by any other means. Having HP greater than 1 imposes no conditions. If you have 1 or less HP you are subject to minion rules with an exception that if your maximum HP is greater than 1 then you are still able to score critical hits against non-minions and failure doesn't automatically result in the worst degree. If you have exactly 0 HP then you gain the HP condition battered. At HP -3 (which is the minimum) you are dead (which removes all other conditions). While your HP is -2 or -1 you have either the Dying or Stabilized conditions both are removed when leaving this HP range (see Conditions for more details). When first entering negative HP (unless already dead) you gain Dying.

Whenever a character dies for any reason, their HP becomes -3. See Death for more details.

Strength And Damage

Strength provides a "built-in" Damage effect: the ability to hit things! You can apply effect modifiers to the damage your Strength inflicts, making it Penetrating or even an Area effect! You can also have Alternate Effects for your Strength Damage; see the Alternate Effect modifier for details. Like other Damage effects, a character's Strength Damage is close range and instant duration by default.

If you choose, a Damage effect can be Strength-based--something like a melee weapon--allowing your Strength Damage to add to it. You add your Strength and Damage ranks together when determining the rank of the attack. Any modifiers applied to your Damage must also apply to your Strength rank if its bonus damage is to benefit from them. However, any decrease in your Strength reduces the amount you can add to your Damage, and negative Strength subtracts from your Damage! Likewise, anything that prevents you from exerting your Strength also stops you from using a Strength-based Damage effect. If you can't swing your fist, you can't swing a sword, either. On the other hand, a laser blade does the same damage whether you can exert your Strength with it or not.

Recovery

Characters recover 1 HP every 8 hours. Being restful (such as sleeping) doubles recovery rate. With a skill DC 5 Medical Treatment (Awe or Int) check someone may help you recover for that day which doubles recovery rate. These two circumstances can stack so that a person may recover 4 HP overnight (8 hours) or 12 HP over a day. Bruised penalties are removed once per hour in the same fashion and at the same time. See Healing and Regeneration effects for an even more speedy recovery. Lasting or more serious injuries are handled as complications (see Lasting Injuries).

Objects do not recover from damage unless they have an effect like Regeneration. Instead, they must be repaired (if possible). If a character's body is technological then it can be repaired with a Technology (Int) skill check. Technically all characters can be repaired but biological bodies are too complex to repair via a skill check which is why a Treatment (Int) check can only improve natural recover rate and not actually heal any HP. For repairing damaged objects see the guidelines under the Technology (Int) skill.

Lasting Injuries

Mutants and Masterminds was designed to emulate the superhero comic books (Humans and Heroes is designed for versatility), so characters generally bounce back pretty fast from taking serious beatings, and there is little differentiation between getting punched through a brick wall and shot-up with a .45 caliber (or, for that matter, set on fire or electrocuted). Realistically, any or all of these things should result in severe injuries that take a considerable amount of time to heal; in comics, and most things with frequent combat, most characters just shake it off and are all better by the next scene.

By default there are no lasting injuries. If the Gamemaster wants or is using lasting injuries see Supplementary Rules: Lasting Injuries.

Death

When a character dies his HP becomes -3, all other conditions are removed, and he loses all victory points (special and normal). Death also causes Power Loss to all of that character's powers except Immortality (ones that are not permanent or continuous duration would end anyway due to lack of maintenance). Note a special exception: if a Continuous Variable provides Immortality then death will cause a Power Loss to all other powers provided by Variable but not to Variable itself or to the provided Immortality.

All powers that were provided by affects others end unless it can also affect objects (this is because your corpse is an object and not a character). Death never causes the duration of Immortality to end by definition, but other permanent or continuous duration powers might end as determined by the Gamemaster whether or not they are based on physical properties. The powers Extra Limbs, Enhanced Toughness, and Growth often remain after death while a Damage Aura most commonly ends upon death.

Character death is a relatively rare happenstance in the comic books. Technically, it's not so much rare as it is temporary. The tendency of comic book characters to return from the dead has become so commonplace it is cliché, with various stories and characters poking fun at it. But accidental death is still possible, if the Gamemaster wants to prevent this the Gamemaster can require all damage to be non-lethal.

Note that minions can be easily killed off with a successful attack. While heroes in a four-color or mainstream style game generally refrain from killing, minions can get mowed down by the dozens in gritty Iron Age style games. The Gamemaster can also kill off supporting characters as desired to suit the story. The greater "resilience" of main characters is not because they are physically any different or tougher, just that they are literally more important to the story of the game (aka plot armor).

Power Loss

Power Loss is simply whenever a character loses a power but this can occur in several ways. When a power is lost it's duration ends and reversible affects are not reversed by default. Power Loss is the only way to turn off permanent duration effects.

Power Loss drains the usage of all effects that have ammunition except those ones that the Gamemaster has deemed physical ammunition (ammunition that is per reload is generally physical). If a power is keeping a record, that record will be reset upon Power Loss. For example, the example power Evolutionary Defense keeps a record of every descriptor that has targeted you so far and its rank. There are actually three ways for a power to maintain a record: in your memory, in itself, and independently. If the record is stored in your memory it is unaffected by Power Loss but requires a memory check each time and can be forgotten or altered. If the record is tracked by the power itself then it it much more reliable and convenient but is erased by Power Loss. The last option is to take the advantage Persistent Information which acts as though the record was stored in the power but the record is unaffected by Power Loss.

There are many ways for Power Loss to occur. Death causes a Power Loss to all powers of that character except the ones that the Gamemaster has deemed physical and Immortality (and any Continuous Variable that provides the Immortality). It is possible for a complication to cause Power Loss, further details depend on the complication description. If you have a group of powers with an activation flaw then deactivation causes Power Loss to each power within that group. If the duration of Variable power ends (or is countered) then there is Power Loss for all powers that it provided. A permanent effect goes through Power Loss when it is countered (the power will automatically come back 1 round later).

The most notable Power Loss is from a complication because it prevents the use of the power for as long as the complication dictates.

Range

An attack has one of three ranges: close, ranged, and perception. A close attack can only affect a target you can physically reach (default of 5 feet), by touch or wielding a melee weapon, for example. A ranged attack can affect a target at a distance, while a perception attack can hit a target you are able to accurately perceive automatically without need for an attack check.

A ranged attack has a short range of distance rank 0 (30 ft), at which it has no penalties. Medium range is short range +1 (distance rank 1 = 60 ft), at this distance the attack check has a -1 circumstance modifier. Long range is short range +2 (distance rank 2 = 120 ft), at this distance the attack check has a -2 circumstance modifier. Ranged attacks cannot go beyond long range; a target further away is out of range and cannot be attacked (automatic miss).

These are generally the only significant distinctions in distance. At the basic level, the game system does not focus on tracking exact distances between combatants, apart from determining if they are adjacent (and therefore within close range) and whether or not they can perceive each other (and are therefore within perception range). The rest is left for the GM to describe and adjudicate as desired.

Perception And Area Effects

Perception and Area effects do not require attack checks, they automatically affect a given target or area (see the Area extra in Powers). Because of this, these attacks cannot have critical success or failure, nor do modifiers affecting the attack check--including various maneuvers--affect them.

Concealment

To attack a target, you first have to have some idea of where to aim your attack. If you can perceive something with an accurate sense (such as sight) then you can target it with an attack. If you cannot clearly perceive the target, then it has concealment from you.

Partial Concealment applies a -1 circumstance penalty to your attack check for not being able to clearly perceive your target. It includes conditions like dim lighting, foli-age, heavy precipitation, fog, smoke, and the like. At least 50% of the target needs to be difficult to make out for this to apply.

Total Concealment applies a -2 circumstance penalty to your attack check for not being able to perceive the target at all, presuming the attacker even knows (or guesses) the right area to target. It includes conditions like total darkness, heavy smoke or fog, and so forth.

Cover

Targets may also hide behind obstructions to gain cover against your attacks. Obstructions that do not physically block attacks but simply make the target harder to perceive--such as lighting, fog, or foliage--provide concealment rather than cover.

Partial Cover applies a -1 circumstance penalty to your attack check. It generally means about half of the target is behind cover, such as around a corner, behind a tree or pillar, or a low wall.

Total Cover applies a -2 circumstance penalty to your attack check, with three-quarters or more of the target behind cover, like a narrow window, or crouched behind a wall.

If a target is completely behind cover, then you cannot attack that target (although you can attack the cover itself). Even if you can see through the cover you can only attack the cover unless your attack can ignore cover (see Extras Indirect, Ricochet, and Area), Perception range doesn't automatically ignore cover.

Cover also grants a circumstance bonus to Dodge defense checks against area effects equal to its penalty to attack checks, so long as the target has cover with respect to the origin point of the effect. So someone behind total cover also gains a +2 to Dodge checks against area effects.

Minion Rules

Minions are minor characters subject to special rules in combat, and generally easier to defeat than normal characters. Villains often employ hordes of minions against heroes. The following rules apply to minions:

Minions cannot score critical hits against non-minions. This only applies to actual minions, not characters with 1 HP.

Non-minions can make attack checks against minions as routine checks (only against active defenses not passive).

If a minion uses Nullify or Weaken against a Non-minion they are considered to have rolled a rolled a -3 instead of rolling but this is not considered a critical failure.

If a Non-minion uses Nullify (but not Weaken) against a minion they are considered to have rolled a +3 instead of rolling but this is not considered a critical success.

If a minion fails a defense check, the minion suffers the worst degree of the effect. This only applies to actual minions, not characters with 1 HP.

Defense

A successful attack has an affect on the target determined by the Power used (typically Damage or Affliction) for details read the power's description. The power's power check is opposed by the target's defense check.

The target of the attack makes a defense check against the power to determine what, if anything, happens.

Ongoing Effects

Some effects are not resisted just once, but multiples times. The later defense checks represent how fast the target is able to "shake off" the effect. Make a defense check for the target of an ongoing effect at the end of each of the target's turns. A successful check ends the effect and removes conditions imposed by it. A failure means the effect's conditions persist, as given in the effect's description.

Example: Your hero was hit by a Affliction effect, leaving him blinded. At the end of his turn, he makes a Fortitude defense check against the effect's DC to try and shake it off, but missed the check by 2. His next turn, still blind, he stumbles and tries to strike the foe taunting him. At the end of his turn, he makes another defense check. success! He ends the Affliction effect and removes the blinded condition. Next round, the villain had better watch out!

Conditions

A failed defense check against an attack imposes one or more conditions on the target, depending on the type of effect and the degree of failure. See the effect description and the Conditions section of The Basics for more on the various conditions.

Actions

The most common actions characters take during conflicts are listed and described here. The GM should use these as guidelines for dealing with unusual actions players may choose for their characters, basing them on the existing action descriptions. The actions listed can have modifiers applied just like strength's damaging attack in both cases you still have a copy of the original after buying and applying modifiers. However the only two actions listed below that can have modifiers are: Grab and Trip. You can't make these actions any faster (via the Faster Action extra) and the Gamemaster has the final say on which modifiers are allowed to be used for those actions.

Aid - Standard Action

If you are in position to melee attack an opponent, you can attempt to aid an ally engaged in melee with that opponent as a standard action. This is like a team check (see Team Checks in The Basics): You make an attack check against DC 0. If you succeed, you don't actually hit or affect the opponent, but success grants your ally gains a +1 circumstance bonus on an attack check against that opponent or a +1 circumstance bonus to Defense against that opponent (your choice) for 1 round. Three or more degrees of success grant a +2 bonus. Failure does nothing but two or more degrees of failure (if possible) forces the ally to take a -1 penalty.

Aim - Standard Action

By taking a standard action to aim and line up an attack, you get a bonus to hit when you make the attack against that target. If you're making a close attack, or a ranged attack at close range, you get a +2 circumstance bonus on your attack check. If you're making a ranged attack from a greater distance, you get a +1 circumstance bonus. You can't attack the target the same turn you start aiming even if you have enough actions left.

You are vulnerable while aiming and you must take a free action to maintain your aim each round (before you make your attack). To start and maintain an aim you must be able to accurately sense your target. If you are unable to maintain the aim, you lose its benefit.

Once you aim, your next action that is a move action or slower must be to attack that target. Taking a different action or attacking a different target spoils your aim and you lose the bonus.

Attack Action

You may perform an attack check with any attack type power such as Damage against any opponent within the attack's range. See attack check for more information. Attacks are generally a standard action (see action limitations).

If the attack is an area effect or perception range, no attack check is needed. It affects the area or target automatically.

Charge - Standard Action

You rush forward to attack. You move your speed rank in a mode of movement available to you in a relatively straight line towards your target. At the end of your movement, you perform a close attack against your opponent with a -1 circumstance penalty to the attack check. The attack used can't be slower than a standard action.

You can combine a charge action with a move action, allowing you to move up to twice your speed (your speed rank as a move action, then your speed rank again when you charge). Charging counts as both a movement and an attack.

Crawl - Move Action

While prone, you can only move by crawling. You crawl at your normal ground speed -1 rank (or half your normal speed).

Characters with the Slither effect of Movement crawl at their normal ground speed. See page for details.

Defend - Standard Action

Rather than attacking, you focus on defense. You can't attack this turn if you use this action, just as though this counted as an attack. Choose an active defense, until your next turn any check of that defense has better results. If the dice sum is less than 1 (before adding defense ranks) then use 1 instead, just as if you spent a victory point. The attacker must equal or exceed your opposed check result in order to hit you (as normal). The active defense that you did not choose to defend with functions normally.

Delay - Free Action

When you delay, you choose to take your turn later in the initiative order. You must delay your entire turn. You cannot delay if you have already taken an action on your turn, or if you are unable to take actions. A delay action can't be readied because that doesn't make sense.

At any point after any other character in the conflict has acted, you can choose to take your turn (you can't interrupt a turn). Your initiative moves into the new place in the order where you act, and you take your normal allocation of actions. If you do not act before your turn would come up again then you are forced to have a turn that can't be delayed (you may choose to do nothing). Therefore you can't delay your turn indefinitely but you can skip every other turn.

Beneficial effects lasting until the end of your turn will end when you choose to delay, but harmful effects that last until the end of your turn will wait until after you act. Like-wise, you do not make defense checks until after you have taken your turn, so delaying can draw out some effects.

Disarm - Standard Action

You attempt to knock a loosely attached or held item--such as a weapon or device--off of the opponent or out of an opponent's grasp. You may Disarm using any attack at the Gamemaster's discretion based on descriptor: the attack must be able to knock the object away but not destroy it (see Smash below for destroying objects). Make an attack check against the defender with a -1 penalty or a -2 penalty if hand held. If you attempt to disarm with a ranged attack, you receive an additional -1 penalty. If your attack succeeds, make an opposed check of your attack's damage against the defender's Strength for a held item or against the binding's Toughness for attached items. If you win, the item is dropped or shot off. If you made the disarm unarmed, you can grab the object as a free action.

Drop An Item - Free Action

Dropping a held item is a free action (although dropping or throwing an item with the intention of hitting something with it is a standard attack action).

Drop Prone - Free Action

Dropping to a prone position is a free action, although getting up requires a move action (see Stand).

Escape - Move Action

You attempt to escape from a successful grab (see Grab). Make a skill check (Athletics to break out or Acrobatics or Escape Artist (Dex) etc to slip out) against the routine check of your opponent's Strength or grab effect rank. If you succeed, you end the grab but your normal ground speed is reduced by 1 during this turn (other actions including movement powers are not affected). If you fail, you are still grabbed.

Grab - Standard Action

You attempt to grab a target. If you use a grabbing effect it will list a number to use as a substitute for Strength, usually equal to rank of that power, use whichever is higher your actual Strength or the substitute. This effective Strength is used whenever Strength is referenced in relation to grabbing in any way (including escaping).

Make an attack check (Close Combat: Unarmed if not using an effect) against the target, resisted as normal (with Parry or Dodge if using a ranged grab effect). If successful, make an opposed check with the target's Strength against your Strength. If you win by 1, the target is restrained (immobile and vulnerable). If you win by 2 or more your opponent becomes bound (defenseless, immobile, and impaired). You can attempt to improve an existing hold with another grab action on one of your following turns, doing so does not use an attack check but still requires a Strength check. If you win the target becomes bound, if you tie nothing happens, but if you lose the target escapes.

You are hindered and vulnerable while grabbing and holding an opponent. You can maintain a successful grab as a free action during each of your turns, but cannot perform other actions requiring the use of your grabbing limb(s) while doing so. Since maintaining a grab is a free action, you can take a standard action to inflict your Strength damage to a grabbed target on one of your subsequent turns after the grab is established.

You can drag a restrained or bound target along with you when you move. The target gets a Strength defense check against your Strength. If you win, you move and the target moves along with you but your normal ground speed is reduced by 1 rank. If the target resists, you are immobilized that turn (and lose the move action you attempted) unless you release your hold on the target.

You can end a grab (releasing your target) as a free action. If you are unable to take the free action maintain the hold, the target is automatically released. A target can attempt to escape from a grab as a move action (see Escape).

Move - Move Action

You can move up to your speed rank in any movement mode available to you. Normal ground speed is speed rank 0 (up to 30 feet per action). If you choose to move twice on your turn (taking two move actions) then you move your speed rank each time. You can make a DC 5 Sprinting (Str) check as a free action to run faster, if you succeed your ground speed rank increases by 1 during this round only.

Ready - Standard Action

Readying lets you prepare to take an action later in order to respond to circumstances even when it isn't your turn. Readying is a standard action even if the action you prepare is smaller. However you may also Ready as a full turn action in order to prepare any full turn action.

You can ready a single standard, move, or free action (or a full turn action but only if you readied as a full turn action). To do so, specify the action you will take and the circumstances under which you will take it. Then, any time before your next turn, you may take the readied action as a reaction to those circumstances.

The readied action will expire during your next turn if it still hasn't been used. The action expires at the start of your turn unless you choose to Delay in which case it expires when you stop delaying. Even if it expires you can ready the same action again on your turn, if you wish, continuing to wait for the right circumstances.

Unlike Delay, Readying an action doesn't affect the turn order. Your turn starts, you ready an action, your turn ends, someone does the thing you were waiting for, you use your readied action, the target finishes his turn, it comes back around to your turn in the normal order.

Readying is specifically useful for countering but can be used for other things as well. For example you may ready a Healing action and state that you would like to heal the first ally who gets hurt. Ending an ongoing effect is a free action and can be readied accordingly. For example if you use create to make a bridge, you can ready an action to end the effect when a villain is halfway across.

Smash - Standard Action

You attempt to damage or break an object held or worn by an opponent. This may be done with any damaging attack. Make an attack check against the defense (Parry or Dodge) of the character with the object, with a -1 attack penalty if you are attacking a held object. If your attack check succeeds, you inflict damage on the object rather than the character. See Damage: Damaging Objects for details on breaking things.

Stand - Move Action

You stand up from a prone position as a move action. This can be done as a free action by passing a DC 10 Acrobatics check but if you fail then you wasted a move action flopping onto the ground. Characters with the Instant Up advantage can stand as a free action without a skill check.

Trip - Standard Action

You try to trip or throw your opponent to the ground. For a trip attempt make a close attack check with a -1 circumstance penalty against your opponent's Parry. If the attack succeeds, make an opposed check of your damage against your opponent's Acrobatics or Balance (Agl) skill check. If you win, the defender is now prone in the same square instead of causing damage. If you lose, nothing happens.

Throwing your opponent first requires you to be grabbing your opponent following by a Strength check to see how far they can be thrown. If you are not already holding your opponent then make a grab attempt but only the attack check portion. If the check fails nothing happens. If you win, or are already holding your opponent, the grab ends and they are prone in the desired square.

Maneuvers

A maneuver is a different way of performing a particular action. For example, a defensive attack is an attack action that improves your defenses at the cost of accuracy. maneuvers are optional, you choose which, if any, apply to your action(s) when you declare them. The GM decides if a particular maneuver is appropriate or prohibited by circumstances.

Certain advantages and effects may enhance or work in conjunction with certain maneuvers. See their descriptions for details.

Accurate Attack

When you make an attack, you can take a -1 penalty on the effect modifier of the attack and get a +1 bonus to your attack. You can't use this if the effect modifier would be reduced to 0 or below. The changes are declared before you make the attack check and only apply for this one action.

All-out Attack

When you make an attack you can take a -1 penalty on your active defenses (Dodge and Parry) and get a +1 bonus to your attack. You can't use this if either defense bonuses would be reduced to 0 or below. The changes to attack and defense bonus are declared before you make the attack check and last for 1 round.

Defensive Attack

When you make an attack you can take a -1 penalty on your attack bonus and get a +1 to your active defenses (Dodge and Parry). You can't use this if your attack bonus would be reduced to 0 or below. The changes to attack and defense bonus last for 1 round. This maneuver can't be used for a Perception range attack (because it doesn't have an attack check).

Demoralize

You can perform an Intimidation skill check in combat as a standard action to undermine an opponent's confidence (see skill page for details).

Feint

You can use Deception as a standard action to mislead an opponent in combat. Make a Deception check as a standard action opposed by the better of your target's Deception or Insight. If your Deception check succeeds, the target is vulnerable against your next attack or until the end of your next turn (see Vulnerable in the Conditions section of The Basics).

Finishing Attack

A finishing attack is a non-routine attack against a defenseless target at close range, with the intent to kill. The DC is 0 and is always a critical hit (see Critical Hits). This generally means your attack hits automatically. If the target's defense check has three or more degrees of failure, the target dies immediately.

Power Attack

When you make an attack you can take a -1 penalty on your attack bonus and get a +1 bonus to the effect rank. You can't use this if your attack bonus would be reduced to 0 or below. The changes are declared before you make the attack check and only apply for this one action. This maneuver can't be used for a Perception range attack (because it doesn't have an attack check).

Slam Attack

When you charge, you can charge right into your target, using your momentum to strengthen your attack, but potentially receiving some damage from the impact yourself. The damage rank for your attack equals your movement speed rank, or your normal damage rank, whichever is higher. If you move your full speed before you charge, increase your damage by either means by an additional +1 circumstance bonus. The Gamemaster may limit your base slam attack damage (before applying circumstance modifiers) by the series power level.

Example: Your hero flies into a foe, moving at speed rank 10. His unarmed damage (Strength) rank is only 2, so he uses his speed rank of 10 for the damage. Since he also moved his full speed to build up momentum, he increases his damage by +1 for a total damage rank of 11. If a base damage rank of 10 is too high for the series, the GM may impose a lower limit on his slam attack damage, reducing the damage to the maximum permissible.

You suffer some of the impact of slamming into a target; make a Toughness defense check against half the damage rank of your attack (rounded down).

Example: Your hero hits his target with a slam attack damage of 11, divided by 2, equals 5.5, and rounded down is 5 which means your hero must make his own Toughness defense check against damage rank 5.

Bonuses to Toughness protect against slam attack damage normally. Immunity to slam damage you inflict or is inflicted to you is not possible.

Team Attack

Multiple attackers can attempt to combine their attacks in order to overwhelm an opponent's resistance. The attacks to be combined must have the same effect and defense and be within 5 ranks of each other. So attacks all doing Damage against Toughness can combine, but not with a Mental Blast, for example, which is a Damage effect, but resisted by Will rather than Toughness.

The attackers must all delay to the same point in the initiative order (that of the slowest attacker). Each attacker makes an attack check against the target's defense. Effects not requiring an attack check may be used in a team attack; count the effect as having one degree of success, if it is not the main attack.

Take the largest effect rank of the attacks that hit and count the combined degrees of success for the other attacks: one degree provides a +1 circumstance bonus to the rank of the main attack, three or more provides a +2 circumstance bonus. Unlike a normal team check, degrees of failure do not reduce success; those attacks simply miss and have no effect. See Team Checks in The Basics for more. Also see Aid standard action above